Pulley hold-down for traverse rods



March 3, 1964 J. N. GRABER PULLEY HOLD-DOWN FOR TRAVERSE RODS 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 4, 1959 INVENTOR JOHN N. GRABER ATTORNEYS March 3, 1964 J. N. GRABER PULLEY HOLD-DOWN FOR TRAVERSE RODS Filed May 4, 1959 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 50 INVENTOR JOHN N GRABER ATTORNEYS United States Patent corporation Filed May 4, 1959, Ser. No. 810,627 2 Claims. ((31. 267-71) This invention appertains to pulley hold-downs for traverse rods and more particularly to an improved construction in the pulley hold-down for operating cords of the traverse rods. This invention represents an im provement over the pulley hold-down shown and described in my previous US. Patent No. 2,830,808 which issued April 15, 195 8, and which is entitled Pulley Hold- Down for Traverse Rods.

As explained in my prior patent, in installing custom traverse rods, particularly where the area to be covered by the draperies is fairly large, the operating cord is trained about a pulley at its lower end in lieu of the loose knob that is commonly used on the standard or smaller types of traverse rod installations. In the usual custom installations, therefore, the pulley hold-down includes a means for resiliently anchoring the pulley to a base and this structure usually consists of a tube-like casing which telescopically and slidably receives a rod. On one end of this rod the pulley is mounted and the rod itself is placed under spring tension so that the drapery operating cor-d trained about the pulley will be slightly under tension. The casing, of course, is anchored to the floor or similar supporting structure.

In installing these custom drapery rods it has always been desirable to have a pulley that could be completely adjusted in a number of positions so that the pulley hold down could be adjusted to the particular situation rather than having to adjust the situation to the particular construction of the pulley hold-down. In an effort to meet this demand the tube housing for the rod in the past Was provided with a pivoted base and while this afforded a certain adjustment and adaptation, the adjustment was merely in a single plane and naturally it is desirable to have a finer and more complete adjustment and positioning of the pulley. it was also desirable to find some means for holding the rod in a steady position while training the operating cord about the same. Obviously, the lack of these various points required much manual dexterity on the part of the persons installing the custom traverse rods.

There has long been a need, therefore, for a type of pulley hold-down which can readily and easily be installed by one man and which is capable of a number of adjustments for the pulley per se.

In my prior patent I illustrated and claimed a novel pulley hold-down which adequately met these needs and my present invention pertains to an improved structure for accomplishing this purpose and which structure particularly adapts itself toward molding the pulley holddown entirely from plastic material.

Therefore, a primary object of my present invention is to provide a novel pulley hold-down for traverse rods having a fine adjustment of the pulley, providing means for placing the pulley under tension and holding the same steady while the operating cord is being affixed thereto.

Another important object of my present invention is to provide a pulley hold-down of the above type in which the various parts of the hold-down may be quickly and readily assembled and particularly adapt themselves to being molded from plastic and like materials.

A further object of my present invention is to provide a pulley hold-down having an outer housing or case within which the rod holding the pulley is slidably re- Patented Mar. 3, 1%64 cei-ved in such a manner that the pulley will always be placed under tension and at the same time may be held steady when desired.

Another object of my present invention is to provide a novel construction in the pulley mounting per se so that the operating cord may be quickly and easily threaded about the pulley but protected when installed and in operating use.

A still further object of my present invention is to provide a novel lower assembly for the pulley rod including an adjusting or lock nut which provides means for adjusting the position of the pulley with relation to the housing.

A more specific object of my present invention is to provide an adjusting or lock nut which is slidably received within the housing but which is held against rotation with relation thereto, said nut also providing means for sup porting one end of the tension spring and for adjusting the relative position of the rod and pulley to a number of positions and holding the same in each adjusted position.

A still further object of my present invention is to pro- 'vide a simple, practical and reliable construction that is economical to manufacture, easy to assemble and positive in its operation.

With the above and other objects in View which Will more readily appear as the nature of the invention is better understood, the same consists in the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter described, illustrated and claimed.

A preferred and practical embodiment of my invention is shown in the accompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevational view partly in section illustrating one position of my novel pulley hold-down with the drapery cord in operating position in relation thereto;

FIGURE 2 is a side elevational 'view showing my novel pulley hold-down with the pulley in its raised position and held steady so that the operating cord may be readily trained about the pulley or removed therefrom when it is necessary to replace the cords, certain parts being broken away and in section to illustrate further details of construction;

FIGURE 3 is a front elevational view showing my pulley hold-down in its normal operating position shown in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 4 is a horizontal sectional view through the pulley structure per se, illustrating the novel manner in which the cover is mounted to the casing, the section being taken on the line 44 of FIGURE 1 and looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary front elevational View of the pulley per se, showing the cover in its open position whereby the operating cord may be either removed from or trained about the pulley;

FIGURE 6 is a horizontal section taken on the line 6-6 of FIGURE 1 of the drawings, looking in the direction of the arrows and illustrating certain details in the construction of the rod and the adjusting or lock nut;

FIGURE 7 is an enlarged fragmentary view of the lower rod again illustrating my novel lower assembly and .eans for adjusting the position of the pulley with relation to the housing;

FIGURE 8 is a horizontal sectional View through the foot of my novel pulley hold-down illustrating the easy and quick means of assembling the foot and housing, the section being taken on the line 83 of FIGURE 1 of the drawings, and looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIGURE 9 is a fragmentary side elevational view,

a9 partly in section, illustrating a slightly modified form of the foot or base;

FIGURE 10 is a side elevational view partly in section similar to FIGURE 1 of the drawin s, but illustrating a modified construction for rotating and adjusting the pulley head, the section being represented by the lines ltll of FIGURE 11 of the drawings and looking in the direction of the arrows;

FTGURE ll is a horizontal section through the pulley rod as illustrated in ETGURE of the drawings and showing modified shape of rod, the section being taken on the line ll1l of FIGURE 10 of the drawnigs and looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIGURE 12 is a fragmentary sectional view of the upper end of the housing shown in FIGURE 10 of the drawings, certain parts being broken away so as to reveal detail of construction, the indexing or adjusting means being shown in an intermediate position; and

FiGURE 13 is a View similar to FIGURE 12 of the drawings but showing the indexing or adjusting means in one adjusted position.

Referring now to the drawings in detail wherein similar reference characters designate corresponding parts, throughout the several views, the letter D generally indicates my novel pulley hold-down for the operating cord C of the traverse rods and the same represents an improvement over my prior US. Patent No. 2,830,808. The traverse rods, of course, form no particular part of the present invention and therefore have not been illustrated and need not be described. However, it should be noted that the operating cord C is utilized to move the sliding portions of the traverse rods for opening and closing the drapes in the usual manner.

The pulley hold-down D may be made from any desired material, however, the construction is such that lends itself in particular to the use of plastic in the molding of various parts.

Therefore, the hold-down is preferably formed and molded from a plastic material and includes broadly, a casing or housing N, to the lower end of which is pivotally mounted a base or foot 21, a pulley rod 22 slidably received in the housing and a pulley assembly 23 formed on the upper end of the rod. The opposite end of the rod 22 is adapted to receive an adjusting and lock nut 24- and this nut serves the dual purpose of retaining one end of the tension spring 25 and also providing adjustment for the relative position of the pulley 23 with relation to the housing 20 and the foot or base 21.

The housing or casing 2% may be made in any desired angular configuration but in the preferred form is molded in a single piece in the shape of an elongated rectangular box having a transverse cross section in the shape of a square. This elongated rectangular housing 20 includes the side walls 26, front and rear walls 26' and an upper wall 2?. The opposite end 2 3 is left open as shown. The front and rear walls 26' adjacent the lower end 28 are provided with stub axles 29 and 36, respectively, and the upper wall 27 is provided with a central circular opening 31 which is adapted to slidably receive and guide the pulley rod 22. The front wall 26 intermediate the upper wall 27 and the end 225 is provided with a kerf or Ushaped slot 32 which in effect forms a flexible finger 33. On the upper end of this finger 33 I provide a knurled thickened knob 34, the purpose of which will be readily apparent as the description proceeds.

As previously mentioned, the pulley rod 22 is slidably received within the housing or casing 2t"! and extends from the upper wall 2'7 of the housing through the aperture 31. The lower end 35 of the pulley rod 22 is provided with a circular groove 36 which groove in effect forms an abutment 37 at the extreme lower end 35. The upper surface of this abutment, or lip is provided with four equally spaced cam-like members 39 as perhaps better illustrated in FIGURES 2 and 7 of the drawings. Received over this lower end 35 of the pulley rod 22 is the adjusting and lock nut 24- and this nut is Cir of a size and configuration to fit the inner dimensions of the housing 29, in such a manner as to be held against rotation but to move vertically with the movement of the rod 22. Depending from the lower surface 49 of the nut 24 are four equally spaced fingers 41 and these fingers extend downwardly and inwardly toward the rod 22 and the distance between the fingers provides an inner diameter of the same dimension as the outer circumference of the wall 36 of the groove 36; thus, the nut may be readily and firmly secured to the rod by positioning the end 35 through the nut opening 42 and snapping the fingers 41 over the abutment 3'7 and into the groove as.

Retained between the upper surface 43 of the nut 24 and the inner portion of the wall 27 of the casing 24) is the tension spring 25 and this spring continually urges the end 35 of the rod 22 toward the lower end 28 of the housing 20 and urges the nut in its holding or locked position. Thus, when a cord C is trained about the pulley 44, tension will be placed upon the cord. Further, it can be seen that while the rod 22 and the nut 24 are normally held in a non-rotative relation with the casing 20, if desired, the rod 22 may be forcibly rotated and the fingers 4 1 will ride upwardly on the cam surface 39 against the spring tension and move from one lower position 45 to the next position, thus turning the rod with each movement. This, of course, gives a fine adjust ment of the pulley construction 23 with relation to the housing 20 and further adjustment is had due to the pivoted relationship of the housing 20 to the foot 21.

This foot or base 21 is also preferably molded from a single integral piece of plastic and includes broadly the side walls 46 and 47 respectively which are firmly held in their relative positions by means of the apertured ears 48 and 49. Obviously, screws or the like (not shown) are inserted in the apertures 50 to firmly fasten the foot to the supporting structure. The side walls 46 and 47 intermediate their ends are each provided with a reinforced abutment 51 and the inner surface of each abutment is provided with a groove 52 to receive the stub axles 29 and 30, respectively, of the housing 20.

The upper surfaces of the grooves or guides 52 are of course closed by an upper wall 53. Intermediate its length I also provide each guide groove with a small lug or lip 54 adjacent the upper end thereof to form a bearing surface for the lower portion of the stub axles 2% and 30.

In assembling the foot 21 to the housing 20 it is merely necessary to slide the housing 2% through the open lower end 55 of the foot 21 with the stub axles aligned with the grooves 52 and to snap them into place over the aligned lugs or lips 54-. Inasmuch as the foot is not provided with end walls but is open at these particular locations as shown clearly in FIGURES 2 and 8 of the drawings and indicated by the numeral 55, it is obvious that the housing 24 is free to pivot laterally with relation to the foot 21, between the side walls 46 and 47 re spectively.

A salient feature of my invention resides in the particular construction of my novel pulley assembly 23 and this includes an outer casing 56 preferably molded integrally with the tube 22 adjacent its upper end 57. This housing 56 is entirely closed with the exception of an open front end 58 and slots 59 formed in the side walls 6d. Also formed integral with the casing 56 and extending from the inner surface slightly past the outward end terminations of the side walls 60 is a pulley axle 61 and the pulley 44 is obviously rotatably mounted on this axle 61.

Referring more particularly to FIGURES 1 and 4 of the drawings, it should be noted that the outer end of the axle 61 terminates in the shape of a split knob 62 forming a resilient button-like end. This knob is adapted to be received into an aperture 63 and snapped over the circular lip 63' formed in the cover 64. This cover 64 is of the same size and configuration as the open end of the housing 56 as is obvious from FIGURES 3 and 5 of the drawings and the cover may be pivoted or turned from its closed position in FIGURE 3 to its open position in FIGURE 5. In order to provide a close fit when the cover is in its closed position the extreme outer periphery of the housing 56 is provided with a stepped curved surface 65 at both its upper and lower ends and the cover 64 is provided with upper and lower lips 66 which fit over the respective surfaces 65. Further, the lower lip 66 of the cover is provided with a small knob 67 which, when in the closed position, snaps into a small aperature 68 found in the lower surface 65 and which holds the cover in its closed position. This feature is quite desirable due to the fact that when it is desired to place the cord on the pulley 44, it is merely necessary to rotate the cover in the direction of the arrows (FIGURE 5 of the drawings), thread the cord C over the pulley and then rotate the cover in the opposite direction to its closed position in FIGURE 3. Thus, the cord and pulley is elfectively protected when in operation and use and obviously the cord cannot become completely detached from the pulley.

Further, in the installation of custom drapes, particularly where one man is performing the task of installing the drapes, it is difficult to hold the pulley per se against the tension of the spring while threading the cord onto the pulley. It is for this purpose that I have provided the finger 33 with its knurled upper knob 34. To hold the pulley in its upper position (FIGURE 2 of the drawings) it is merely necessary to pull the rod 22 upwardly until the nut 24 is above the upper surface 69 of the finger 33. The finger 33 is then pressed inwardly so that it engages the under surface 40 of the nut 24 and therefore holds the rod in an upper position. As soon as the cord is properly threaded about the pulley 44 it is merely necessary to again move the pulley slightly upward which relieves pressure on the finger 33 and allows the finger to resume its normal position illustrated in FIGURES 1 and 3 of the drawings. Thus, when the rod is released the tension of the spring will provide the proper tension to the cord C and give a custom feel to the operation of the drapes.

Attention is now directed to FIGURE 9 of the drawings in which I have illustrated a modified form of my foot or base. In this modification the base 21 is likewise molded from a single integral piece of plastic material and is provided with rear and front walls 70' and 71 respectively. In this form of the invention, the walls '70 and 71 have a smooth outer surface but the upper portion thereof is cut out centrally to provide the bearing surface 72. The inner dimensions of the wall are of a size and configuration to slidably receive the stub axles 29 and 30 of the housing 28. Also, the walls 70 and 71 adjacent the bearing surface 72 are each provided with an inwardly extending lip 73 past which the stub axles are moved and snapped into place. The walls are likewise joined by the apertured base ears 4-8 and suitable space is provided between the walls for the pivoting of the housing 20. Further, in order to prevent the upward movement of the housing 20 away from the base 21 I provide bridge members 74 and 75 which connect with the end walls 76 and are integral with the rear and front walls 70- and 71.

In FIGURES to '13 of the drawings I have illustrated a modified construction, particularly in the means for indexing or rotating the pulley head from one adjusted position to another in relation to the spring housing section. In this form of my invention the pulley hold-down is noted broadly by the letter D and is obviously utilized for placing tension on the drapery operating cord C. In fact, the pulley head construction 23' and the base 21 are identical to the construction previously shown and described in FIGURES 1 to 5, inclusive, of the drawings and therefore, need not be further explained in detail. The pulley rod 22, however, and the indexing means are of a different construction from that previously described and it will be noted that the rod 22' is square in cross section in this form of the invention. The lower end is provided with a rounded reduced portion 77 and this end terminates in a rounded split resilient knob 78.

The housing 79' is preferably formed in the shape of a square similar to the housing described in FIGURES 1 to 6 inclusive, and is also provided with the retaining finger 8t and the stub axles 81. The upper end 82, however, is constructed in a different manner from that form previously described. Molded or otherwise secured to the inner periphery 83 of the upper end of the housing is a series of equally spaced depending cams 84, provid ing a cam-like surface 85. Slidably received over the square rod 22 is the indexing or adjusting nut 86 and the upper periphery of this nut is provided with a series of upwardly extending cam members 87 forming a camlike surface 88. The earns '84 and 87 are so formed as to mate or meet perfectly as illustrated in FIGURE 13 of the drawings and inasmuch as the indexing or adjusting nut 86 has a square central aperture 89' it will turn when the rod 22/ is turned. Bearing against the lower surface 98 of the nut 86 is the tension spring 25' and this spring is retained at the lower end by means of a lock nut 91 which is snapped over the resilient buttonlike end 78. Obviously the central aperture 92 of this nut is of the same inner diameter as the outer circumference of the reduced portion 77 and therefore, the spring 25 will be firmly retained by the two nuts 86 and 91 respectively. In this construction, the pulley may be held in an upper position and the finger '80 moved under the retaining nut 91 in the same manner as in the previously described form of my invention.

In the operation of the modified form of my invention, illustrated in FIGURES 10 to 13 of the drawings, the pulley head 23' is indexed or adjusted by merely turning the pulley head in relation to the housing 79. Inasmuch as the indexing and adjusting nut 86 cannot turn with relation to the rod 22', rotation of the rod 22' will cause the nut to move downward against the tension of the spring .25 to an intermediate position illustrated more particularly in FIGURE 12 of the drawings and further rotation of the rod will allow the indexing and adjusting nut to move upward to its alternate locked adjusted position illustrated in FIGURE '13 of the drawings.

From the above it is apparent that not only may the pulley be held firmly against the tension of the spring when removing or threading the cord to the pulley, but that also due to the novel structure of the nut 24- and lower end of the pulley rod 22 (FIGURES 1 to 8) and the novel construction of the pulley rod 22', indexing nut 86, housing 7? and the retaining nut 91 (FIGURES 10 to 13) that the pulley heads 23 and 23' may be indexed or rotated to a number of adjusted positions, thus giving a very fine adjustment and positioning of the pulley and particularly adapting the entire hold-down to custom installations.

From the foregoing it is believed that the features and advantages of my invenion will be readily apparent to those skilled in the ant and it will of course be understood that changes in the form, proportions and minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

11. A pulley hold-down for traverse rod installations comprising, an elongated hollow housing, a pivoted base secured to one end of said housing for fastening said housing to a support, a pulley rod slidably received in said housing having a portion extending outwardly therefrom at the opposite end from said base portion, an adjusting and lock nut slidably received in said housing means securing said adjusting and lock nut to said rod adjacent the end opposite its outwardly extending portion, said rod adapted to rotate with relation to said nut, means holding said nut against rotation in said housing, resilient means for continually urging said rod toward said base, and a pulley mounted on the outwardly extending end of said rod for receiving a drapery operating cord, said means for securing said adjusting and look nut to said rod including an annular groove about the lower end of said rod having a series of cam like projections about its lower periphery, depending fingers on said nut extending downwardly and angularly toward said rod, the inner distance between said fingers being the same as the inner circumference of said groove, said finger-s being received in said groove and riding on said cam surfaces, whereby said rod may be rotated relative to said nut and held in a given position.

2. A pulley hold-down for traverse rod installations comprising, an elongated hollow housing, a pivoted base secured to one end of said housing for fastening said housing to a support, a pulley rod slidably received in said housing having a portion extending outwardly therefrom at the opposite end from said base portion, an adjusting and lock nut slidably received in said housing, means securing said nut to said rod adjacent the end opposite its outwardly extending portion, said rod adapted to rotate with relation to said nut, means holding said nut against rotation in said housing, and a pulley mounted on the outwardly extending end of said rod for receiving a drapery operating cord, said means for securing said nut to said rod including an annular groove about the lower end of said rod having a series of cam like projections about its lower periphery, depending fingers on said nut extending downwardly and angularly toward said red, the inner distance between said fingers being the same as the inner circumference of said groove, said fingers being received in said groove and riding on said cam surfaces, whereby said rod may be rotated relative to said nut and held in a given position.

References @ited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,006,950 Keddy Oct. 2 4, 1911 1,083,986 Burns Jan. "13,1914 2,136,569- Trirnpi Nov. 15, 1938 2,274,286 Wieland Feb. 24, 1942 2,555,059 Schrader May 29, 1951 2,830,808 Graber Apr. 15, 1958 FOREIGN PATENTS 511,725 Canada Apr. 12, 1955 326,858 Germany Oct. 4, 1920 

1. A PULLEY HOLD-DOWN FOR TRAVERSE ROD INSTALLATIONS COMPRISING, AN ELONGATED HOLLOW HOUSING, A PIVOTED BASE SECURED TO ONE END OF SAID HOUSING FOR FASTENING SAID HOUSING TO A SUPPORT A PULLEY ROD SLIDABLY RECEIVED IN SAID HOUSING HAVING A PORTION EXTENDING OUTWARDLY THEREFROM AT THE OPPOSITE END FROM SAID BASE PORTION, AN ADJUSTING AND LOCK NUT SLIDABLY RECEIVED IN SAID HOUSING MEANS SECURING SAID ADJUSTING AND LOCK NUT TO SAID ROD ADJACENT THE END OPPOSITE ITS OUTWARDLY EXTENDING PORTION, SAID ROD ADAPTED TO ROTATE WITH RELATION TO SAID NUT, MEANS HOLDING SAID NUT AGAINST ROTATION IN SAID HOUSING, RESILIENT MEANS FOR CONTINUALLY URGING SAID ROD TOWARD SAID BASE, AND A PULLEY MOUNTED ON THE OUTWARDLY EXTENDING END OF SAID ROD FOR RECEIVING A DRAPERY OPERATING CORD, SAID MEANS FOR SECURING SAID ADJUSTING AND LOCK NUT TO SAID ROD INCLUDING AN ANNULAR GROOVE ABOUT THE LOWER END OF SAID ROD HAVING A SERIES OF CAM LIKE PROJECTIONS ABOUT ITS LOWER PERIPHERY, DEPENDING FINGERS ON SAID NUT EXTENDING DOWNWARDLY AND ANGULARLY TOWARD SAID ROD, THE INNER DISTANCE BETWEEN SAID FINGERS BEING THE SAME AS THE INNER CIRCUMFERENCE OF SAID GROOVE, SAID FINGERS BEING RECEIVED IN SAID GROOVE AND RIDING ON SAID CAM SURFACES, WHEREBY SAID ROD MAY BE ROTATED RELATIVE TO SAID NUT AND HELD IN A GIVEN POSITION. 